Patch Panel question

overj · Post by **overj** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:05 pm

HI ALL,

I am looking for some information on either or not I need to upgrade my patch panels. I had Cat5, and some Cat5e cable installed throughout the building. I would really like to someday replace it with Cat6, or possibly Cat6a cable.

So the patch panels I have now are designed for Cat5. What is the major difference a patch panel can make? You you really think I need to replace them? Also - what about all the jacks in the outlets? They can Cat5e jacks. In order to get Cat6 to work fully, do those need to be replaced?

Thanks!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:09 pm

Most of the patch panels and wall plates these days are "keystone" style, so you can just swap out the jacks, replacing with 5e or 6.

5e is all you need for gigabit.
If 5e is what you have run throughout the building, I'd stick with just 5e jacks for now if you're watching your budget, although cat6 jacks aren't that much more expensive anymore.

You can get gigabit to run on just cat5 hardware and cable, usually without issues, but...if you want to follow the specs and deal with optimal network performance, always best to follow the recommendations.

Must of the performance depends on how properly everything is terminated.

overj · Post by **overj** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:39 pm

Mine aren't the "keystone" type. The patch panel is one unit with all the jacks.

I have gigabit switches running around the building, but I also have a lot of Cat5 cable. The computers are connecting at the gigabit speed, but I am not sure if there are a lot of errors.

So - do you think it would be a wise decision to replace all the cat5 cable and jacks with Cat6? Or should I wait till Cat6a is standard or even the next, whatever it might be.

Gigabit is fine for what I need, but maybe, just maybe in 20 years we would need 10G.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 2:14 pm

If you have quite a bit of PC/servers/switches running gigabit....I'd probably go with CAT6, get a little bit of future proofing, and peace of mind. I wouldn't worry about 6a or 7 yet....stilll too far on the horizon, and what you find out there would most likely be cost prohibitive. Cat6 should also be supported for 10gig for short runs.

reaser · Post by **reaser** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:21 am

Just for a mental note Ye, for Cat6 to support 10G what would you consider a short run? 50ft or less? 100ft or less?

Thanks, you always offer great information!

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:28 am

To be honest, I'm not sure off the top of my head...as I've never even begun to think about 10 gig. A quick Google shows propertly terminated CAT6 spec'd to handle 10 gig to 55 meters. 6a will do it to the usual 100 meters.

bilbus · Post by **bilbus** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:20 pm

upgrading cat5/5e patch panels is completely useless. Unless you are also going to upgrade the cables in the wall.

You are talking about a huge expenditure for no benefit.

What do you expect to get from cat6?

Sure if i had to run new wires, i would run cat6, but other then that i would stick with what i have.

if you have a workstation that needs a cat6e connection, i would run a new cable.

If your switching backbone/servers need the speed .. you can upgrade those as needed.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:44 pm

bilbus wrote:upgrading cat5/5e patch panels is completely useless. Unless you are also going to upgrade the cables in the wall.

You are talking about a huge expenditure for no benefit.

What do you expect to get from cat6?

If it's just cat5, it's probably old, experience in looking at many existing ones has shown that. Anything put in in the past several years is usually 5e or newer. If it's cat5, it's been there for a long time. And most likely poorly wired. I can't think of how many networks I've seen improved by replacing that, it's a main component of the core of your network, not something to skimp on.

"Huge Expenditure"? 65 bucks for a decent 48 port cat6 patch panel, and a little over a buck thirty per keystone jack? Less than an hour to re whip everything behind it. Done, one less thing to worry about. And one less reason for servers running sensitive database stuff to flake out over when trying to run at gigabit.